MWC 2025: What's been announced and what to expect from the big show

Mobile World Congress is a mobile-focused trade show that takes place every year in Barcelona, Spain. After a cancellation in 2020 and a diminished event in 2021, the show has returned to full strength in the last couple of years. And we’re expecting an even bigger show in 2025.

Of course, we’re in Barcelona to cover the event and all the associated happenings. Here’s what has been announced and what we think we know about companies and their MWC 2025 plans.

MWC 2025: Important information

• What is MWC? MWC stands for Mobile World Congress. It’s the largest yearly mobile-focused convention in the world. It hosted over 101,000 attendees in 2024. This includes all types of industry attendees, including “global mobile operators, device manufacturers, technology providers, vendors, content owners, or people interested in the future of tech.”
• When is MWC 2025? MWC 2025 takes place from Monday, March 3, to Thursday, March 6.
• Where is MWC 2025? MWC 2025 takes place in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, primarily at the Fira Gran Via convention halls. Separate MWC announcements, keynotes, and product unveilings usually also happen at various locations around Barcelona, though.
• Is MWC 2025 open to the public? Unlike other major tech conventions, MWC makes it pretty simple for people to attend. The event is open to the public as long as attendees pay for registration. You can find all the details here.

Google

Google doesn’t generally use MWC for its most high-profile announcements, as it often prefers its own events for major software and hardware reveals. Nevertheless, the tech giant is at the show this year. At its booth, the company debuted a couple of new Gemini Live features — live video and screen-sharing. The company also has a quirky station where attendees can learn how to make gelato with Gemini. Additionally, the tech giant confirmed some interesting details to Android Authority about the Google TV Streamer and the future of the Pixel Tablet.

HONOR

Joining Google and Samsung, HONOR confirmed that it will now offer seven years of Android updates for its flagship Magic products. The first device that will receive this policy commitment will be the HONOR Magic 7 Pro. Along with that announcement, the phone maker launched the HONOR Pad V9, which we got some hands-on with. And for smartwatch fans, there’s the HONOR Watch 5 Ultra, which also made its debut during the show. Not to be missed, James Li has emerged as the company’s new CEO.

Infinix

Chinese phone manufacturer Infinix unveiled a new color-changing technology it calls E-Color Shift 2.0. This tech uses AI to customize the pattern and colors on a phone’s back panel depending on various factors like the weather, a user’s mood, or to match the surrounding environment.

Lenovo

The veteran laptop maker has had quite an eventful appearance at MWC. The company had a few standout products at this year’s event, the most surprising of which is its Z-folding laptop called the ThinkBook “Codename Flip” AI PC. Another bold take is the ThinkBook 3D Laptop Concept, which features an AI-powered smart ring for manipulating 3D images. Lenovo also shared Smart Connect is getting an update that adds new Moto AI features to enhance the multi-device experience.

Motorola

Motorola is another company that always has a presence at MWC. Its most exciting device at MWC 2023 was the Motorola Rizr concept, featuring a vertical rollable display, but it also launched the Motorola Defy 2 rugged phone and the Defy Satellite Link gadget.

The company had some interesting reveals last year, starting with the Adaptive Display Concept (seen above) which was effectively a phone that wraps around your wrist. Other announcements at the time included the Smart Connect suite for cross-device integration, and confirmation of Gorilla Glass on all its smartphones.

Motorola hasn’t confirmed any specific plans for MWC 2025, but we know the company will have a booth on the show floor. So we hope to see some new and innovative stuff from the firm.

Nokia/HMD Global

The Finnish smartphone maker had a few announcements to share at this year’s event. HMD’s unveiled a new pair of wireless earbuds called the Amped Buds, which can double as a battery bank for your phone. In addition to new earbuds, the company announced a partnership with Xplora to launch the HMD Fusion X1. This smartphone comes with a €4.99 per month subscription to Xplora to give parents more control over what apps their kids use and how they access the internet.

Nothing

During MWC, Nothing officially launched Nothing Phone 3a and the Phone 3a Pro. While it was very unlikely, there was a faint hope that the London-based brand may reveal something about the Nothing Phone 3 at the show as the company has a major obsession with teases. Unfortunately, we were left high and dry on any new details about the flagship phone.

Nubia

For the gamers out there, Nubia has launched two new phones that are now the cheapest phones to have shoulder buttons. Both the Neo 3 5G and Neo 3 GT 5G have a pair of textured capacitive keys that are perfect for playing games, like the Asphalt series. The Nubia Neo 3 5G starts at just €249 (~$262), while the GT model is available for €299 (~$315).

OPPO/OnePlus

OPPO announced the Air Glass 3 prototype glasses last year, offering a full-color display and a generative AI assistant when paired with a phone. This wasn’t the first time OPPO brought glasses of some kind to MWC, which means it’s very possible we’ll see prototype glasses or headsets once again. The company also launched the OPPO Find N5 foldable phone in China and globally. That seemingly takes the device off the table for MWC.

It’s unclear whether OPPO subsidiary OnePlus will attend the expo. For what it’s worth, the company launched the well-received OnePlus Watch 2 at MWC last year. It would be apt if the company launched the rumored OnePlus Watch 3 at this year’s event, but the wearable actually launched on February 18.

Qualcomm

Qualcomm doesn’t usually reveal major smartphone processors at MWC, but it still had some notable announcements to make. Qualcomm used the event to debut its X85 modem, which is expected to power next-generation flagship Android devices. There was also some confusion about XPAN technology coming to Snapdragon 7 chips, however, Qualcomm has now clarified that XPAN is only supported on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Snapdragon 8 Elite.

Ranger

MWC isn’t all about big established brands. You’ll also see products from startups and Kickstarter campaigns, like the BleeqUp Ranger. Described as the “world’s first 4-in-1 AI cycling camera glasses,” this item blends several gadgets into one. It’s designed to help cyclists with their commute, training, or safety.

Realme

Realme is also attending Mobile World Congress this year, so what does the budget-focused brand have up its sleeve? So far, it’s revealed that it will use the event to launch the previously announced realme 14 Pro series in Europe. The company has also shown off its Interchangeable Lens Concept smartphone. This concept smartphone has a one-inch Sony CMOS camera sensor that can connect with DSLR camera lenses.

Samsung

Before MWC 2025 kicked off, Samsung India confirmed that new Galaxy A series phones were launching in the first week of March, and that’s exactly what happened. All three mid-range phones were debuted on Sunday with information on pricing and availability. However, the Galaxy A series isn’t the only announcement Samsung has up its sleeve. The tech giant has confirmed that it will officially “unveil” its Project Moohan XR headset at this week’s event. Samsung also had a few surprise concept devices like a dual-folding flip phone and a Nintendo Switch-like foldable gaming handheld.

TCL

Death, taxes, and TCL at MWC. Of course, the Chinese manufacturer is in Barcelona, and it has a few notable reveals. The first of which is its RayNeo Air 3 glasses that feature the company’s latest HueView screen and quad speakers. And what’s a TCL appearance without some mention of its NXTPAPER technology? On that end, it introduced the NXTPAPER 11 Plus tablet, which sports a matte-finish NXTPAPER 4.0 screen and a €249 price tag.

TECNO

TECNO has launched a variety of products and technologies at MWC in the last couple of years. It launched the Phantom V Fold foldable phone in 2023 and the mid-range POVA 6 Pro in 2024. But it’s also launched other ecosystem products in Barcelona, such as its MEGABOOK laptops and a cool Windows handheld/pocket cinema glasses combo called the Pocket Go.

We’re not quite sure what the company will reveal this time, though. The company likes to announce and demonstrate new technologies (e.g., imaging chips and camera technologies), so we could see this being a focus. Wouldn’t it be cool if the company launched a commercial triple-screen foldable, though?

Xiaomi

Xiaomi has been another fixture in Barcelona over the past few years, but it often launches devices a day or two before the expo actually begins. Right on schedule, the company launched the Buds 5 Pro Wi-Fi — the first commercially available earbuds with Qualcomm’s XPAN tech — and Xiaomi 15 Ultra. Joining the big lens add-on trend, the company also revealed a modular phone concept called the Xiaomi Modular Optical System. It was also revealed that Xiaomi phones will be the next Android devices to get Gemini support.

ZTE/Nubia

ZTE has confirmed a launch event at MWC 2025 on March 3. The name of the event (“ZTE Devices New Products Launch”) suggests new phones are on the way.

We don’t know if the company will launch new Axon flagships, Blade budget phones, or something new altogether. The company also has the Nubia sub-brand, so we could see new phone launches from this brand or wider launches for devices like the Nubia Flip 2 foldable.